(1) YA In 1650s Rome, Carmela's mother, Giulia Tofana, runs an apothecary. At sixteen, Carmela is finally allowed to begin training to become an apothecary herself. She learns what goes into healing remedies -- familiar herbs such as lavender, rosemary, and pennyroyal, but also urine, dog feces, dried menstrual blood, and more. What surprises her most is Giulia's willingness to help all who come to her. "There are so many who have no one else to turn to," Giulia says. "That is the daily work we are here for. Giving women a choice over what happens in their bodies," whether it be rheumatism, rashes, birth, dangerous pregnancies, or life-threatening marriages. When an abused wife fails to administer the toxic "Acqua Tofana" to her murderous husband properly, Giulia must flee for her life, leaving Carmela to carry on the work. This is an unforgettable novel of courage, chemistry, and female solidarity in a casually violent, misogynistic world -- in short, in many ways, a topical story. McCullough enfolds a catalog of women's hardships and mutual support warmly and dramatically into the immersive tale of Carmela's growth from dependency and childhood grievances to confident generosity, skill, and compassion. Occasional verse interludes emphasize the pervasiveness of Giulia's clients' difficulties.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Lizzy Stewart. In this fable/fantasy, Almond (Brand New Boy, rev. 5/22) revisits his signature theme of what it means to be human. Silvester, an elderly puppet-maker and performer, retires, giving his puppets to a museum and then wondering what to do with the rest of his life. Using bits and remnants, he fashions one last puppet, a wooden marionette the size of a seven-year-old. "Puppet," who passes as "Kenneth" out in the world, comes to life, learning to walk, speak a few words, laugh, and enjoy jam. Through Puppet, Silvester makes friends with neighbor Fleur and her mother. Fleur becomes Silvester's apprentice and together they all -- adults, children, and Puppet -- -perform a play in the town square. The sadness of this tale is built in from the outset. Silvester is an old man, lucky enough to be able to pass on his legacy of skill and passion, but mortal nonetheless. But what of Puppet? What becomes of a doll when its creator and animator dies? The denouement is classic Almond: sweet, strong, consoling, and with an echo of his masterwork, Skellig (rev. 5/99). (Think wings.) In short chapters, generously illustrated with pencil drawings in spots and panels, we are treated to a singular story with wide-ranging takeaways concerning community, loneliness, memory, the magic of theater, and the joy of making.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) YA Ash Woods is an unlicensed alchemist, a groundskeeper at a college that will employ him but not admit him to study and train to practice alchemy openly and legally. When Ramsay Thorne, a graduate apprentice, catches Ash working a bit of creation alchemy, he proposes a deal: if Ash will help search for the Book of Source, Ramsay will teach him what he needs to know to pass the licensing exam. In the process, Ash falls for the alchemist. Ramsay (who is genderfluid and uses alternating pronouns) has her own skeletons in her past and now seeks to destroy the Book. When the quest goes awry, Ramsay abandons Ash to the authorities to find the Book herself, and Ash is taken captive, kept under the watch of -- coincidentally -- Callum Kendrick, who broke Ramsay's heart back in boarding school, and whose gentleness Ash also finds irresistibly attractive. This elaborate adventure leads to some surprising places -- alternate universes; a threesome involving Ash (who is transgender), Callum, and Ramsay -- but readers will thrill to the high-stakes predicaments and appreciate the characters' attempts to remain true to themselves, no matter the cost.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 This lushly illustrated graphic novel follows sisters Ada and Safi, who have fallen on hard times. Their mother, a magician in the king's forces, was killed in war, and their father's failing health and struggling business are becoming harder to manage on their own. Most worrisome to older sister Ada is the magical energy building up within Safi: without proper training and guidance, Safi's magic could become deadly. When Ada hears that a troupe of professional magicians is coming to town, she sees this as a chance to get Safi the mentorship she needs. Paulsen digitally illustrates a world reminiscent of early-nineteenth-century Europe (with airships); the sisters' dreary town reflects the aftermath of war. Stark stone buildings surround Ada at home, while Safi's traveling apprenticeship showers her in a world of luxurious red velvet and abundant greenery. Magic is expelled in bursts of yellow light, often taking the form of creatures conjured by the sorcerers. The story takes an exciting and mysterious turn when an outcast magician, "The Great Elba," alerts Ada to the dark side of one of Safi's mentors, and the two team up to save her. Paulsen's (Garlic & the Vampire, rev. 11/21) newest work is a family story through and through. Queer representation is lovingly incorporated via Elba, a transgender man, who in the end becomes a part of the girls' family.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(1) YA Illustrated by Faith Schaffer. A pair of mismatched fighters embarks on a quest to vanquish a yamauba (a monster that devours children) in a graphic novel that seamlessly blends fantasy in a reimagined feudal Japan with trappings of contemporary technology. When fifteen-year-old Chihiro's father is asked to come out of retirement to fight the yamauba, he declines due to an injured leg, prompting his daughter to leap at the chance to take his place and perhaps gain entrance to the prestigious Keisi Academy. She sets out to find a ronin traveling companion -- her idol Tatsuo Nakano, the first girl accepted into the academy -- only to find that she's now a washed-up drunkard with an attitude. Donning ronin garb, with swords in hand along with their cellphones, they launch into their perilous journey, with malevolent monsters and threatening dangers lurking about. The backstory to Tatsuo's unraveling is revealed through intermittent episodes, switching between dramatic dark and light grays set in the past and boldly colored panels in the present. Combat scenes unfold through action-driven panels that slash across the page in cinematic jump-shot fashion. Themes of self-determination, betrayal, revenge, feminism, and social justice are at the core of this fast-paced, twisty adventure.

Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) 4-6 In this bright, engaging tale set in medieval England, Coats lightly interweaves medieval craft and culture with deeper questions about work, value, and getting around the status quo. Tick has long helped her father make the tallow candles and beeswax charms that are their livelihood. Now that Papa’s losing his eyesight, her work is essential. She loves her sense of expertise and responsibility; especially, she loves working companionably with Papa. Then comes Henry, a boy apprentice, and Papa shuts Tick out. You will soon be changing, she's told, and chandler work isn't suitable for women. But Tick is named for St. Scholastica, patron saint of "just because something is so, doesn't make it right." She concocts her own plan to make and market beeswax charms at the annual Stourbridge Fair. Coats is a lively, capable storyteller and intelligently dovetails historical detail with issues--and a self-aware expressiveness in this first-person, present-tense narrative--that resonate today. Her plot twists, turns, and hinges on a pleasing, convincing mix of medieval practices and unusual but realistic circumstances that provide for a hopeful ending.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 4-6 The setting is Prince Edward Island, sometime close to the turn of the twentieth century. "The dirt road was reddish, like all the earth on the island, as if it were flushed with pride at its own prettiness." A spirited, impulsive orphan--romantic about nature, self-dramatizing, and fond of poetry--is taken in by a grumpy old woman. What the child passionately longs for are connection, friendship, and kindness. So far, so Green Gables--Grace is certainly a literary second cousin to Anne. The twist is that she is also a witch, and so is the grumpy old woman. The plot involves a series of tests, a year's worth of spellcasting as Grace apprentices to her craft. The stakes are high. If she cannot master all one hundred (and a half) spells, she will lose her magic powers, and thus her identity. A supporting cast includes a crow familiar, a bullying mean girl, a wish-granting fairy (and nascent romantic interest), and a sensible, supportive best friend. This alternative-universe romp is perfect for those who like their fantasy light and sentimental and enjoy a bit of L. M. Montgomery pastiche (yes, the raspberry cordial disaster resurfaces, and there's even a hint of Matthew).

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) 4-6 When twelve-year-old Adia Kelbara is placed as an apprentice cook at the Academy of Shamans for her "year of practicality," her exploitative aunt and uncle try to forbid her from leaving their repressive village. Adia somehow causes an earthquake that destroys the village, then flees to the Academy in the resulting chaos. Afraid that she must be possessed by an evil demon to have caused such destruction, she hopes one of the shamans can perform an exorcism, but the Academy has been taken over by rich foreigners, none of whom can do any magic. Then, while searching the school's libraries for information on exorcisms, Adia inadvertently eavesdrops on three Alusi (celestial guardians) and learns that the emperor of Zaria, Darian the Warlord Child, has been possessed by Olark, a rogue Alusi, for a year now. If Adia follows the wisest Alusi to watch her exorcise Olark from the Warlord Child, perhaps she'll learn how to exorcise her own demon. Igbo cosmology forms the basis of this engaging fantasy, and Hendrix not only uses the surviving mythology but also depicts some of the ways Western hegemonists have contributed to its loss. Adia's emotional growth remains central to the narrative, which lays out intriguing tidbits that build over the course of the novel to support the satisfying reveal at book's end

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) YA Khadija is a brown-skinned sixteen-year-old girl living in the (fictional) realm of Ghadaea. Although her Ghadaean identity grants her a position in society's highest racial caste, her identity as a girl means she will never obtain the freedom she desires. When her father informs her that he has found a suitable husband for her, Khadija commandeers a hot-air balloon and floats away from her restrictive life. Her flight leads her to Jacob, a hri, or white member of Ghadaea's lowest social caste, who longs to escape his abusive glassmaking apprenticeship. Despite their gender, racial, and class differences, the two form an unlikely bond, as they both wish for freedom from oppression and have experienced the loss of family and friends. Khadija and Jacob's friendship is tested, however, when they find themselves caught between two revolutionary groups: the Wzeem, who believe that peaceful protest will result in equality for all; and the Hreef, who want the hri to rule at all costs. Told from ­Khadija's and Jacob's alternating points of view, Marufu's novel uses South Asian–inspired fantasy ­elements to tackle discussions of racism, misogyny, classism, and activism. An exciting and action-packed adventure perfect for fans of Blackman's Naughts and Crosses (rev. 7/05).

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Sylvia Bi. This energetic and optimistic graphic novel overflows with collectivism and an activist spirit. In the fictional world of Siannerra (inspired by Italian city-states of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance), Mestra Aronne prints and distributes avvisi--news-filled pamphlets--for her community. She also serves as mentor and caregiver for apprentice Cinzia, who walks using a cane. When one of the pamphlets informs the community that their magistrate is lying and stealing, guards show up to arrest both printer and apprentice. Cinzia escapes, aided by Contessina Elena, the daughter of the principessa and niece of the corrupt magistrate. Rumors about Elena abound (people say she is "odd" and unfit to rule), but Cinzia and Elena become fast friends. When the magistrate announces that Mestra Aronne will be hanged for treason, the girls--alongside like-minded allies--race to locate the evidence against the magistrate and distribute the truth to the people. Friendship, family, home, and political risk-taking are thoughtfully presented through well-paced dialogue and inset boxes showcasing characters' inner thoughts. Line work is clear and consistent, especially in jam-packed spreads and in sun-drenched red-orange hues of chaotic city scenes. Atmosphere is further delineated through swirling song lyrics and chants, spread in cursive across expertly placed panels. This lively, inclusive, and engaging story is also a timely reminder of the value of a free press.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) 4-6 A boy, born eleventh in line to the crown, finds himself to be first after a series of mysterious and unlikely accidents--and then he becomes king. Alba, an oracle's apprentice, is stricken by the way her harsh predictions affect that gormless boy king. And Rae, a shepherd couple's foundling daughter, grows up happily in the high wilds of the mountains, wondering why she feels a strong connection to a nearby wolf. Focusing on these three characters, Andrews's narrator weaves a fable-like story of betrayal and love, revenge and destiny, in sure, poetic prose. "Mountain-found," "wind-cold," "empty-bellied," a hand as "soft as plum blossoms"--every word draws us into a tactile, living world, one in which insects, worms, grubs, and beetles are as vital as a huge wolf, a royal advisor, and even the act of writing. With a magical Romulus-and-Remus theme and some fairy-tale features, this leisurely tale is richly atmospheric and nicely surprising. Chapter-opening framed decorations (akin to medieval illuminations) by Yuta Onoda make the book an attractive object in itself and suit Andrews's writing perfectly--­delicate and earthy at once, both realistic and magical.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 When a gearling (a mechanical clockwork man) shows up at the orphanage in search of an apprentice for his witch mistress, Melanie Gate (an orphan with a talent for ­opening locked things) embarks on the adventure about which she's always dreamed. Once outside the city gates, however, the gearling, newly named Traveler, reveals that the witch is a fiction, that he himself is far more than the mindless automaton he'd initially seemed, and that he needs a human to front for him. Traveler can't remember his past, but he's able to do remarkable feats of magic, and he both teaches Melanie and sets her up to appear to be the magical prodigy Lady Porta the ­Periwinkle, a role Melanie is happy to play. When they run into a real aldermage, however, the man sees through Melanie's impersonation and blackmails her into using her talent to steal a hidden treasure. Strong themes of belonging and identity inform the narrative: Melanie is torn between her drive for excitement and her longing for the warm and cozy friendships she made at the orphanage; Traveler questions how "real" he is and fears being used as a weapon. Both characters' origins have roles to play in a conflict between two magical factions, and Melanie's fellow orphans swoop in for a rescue at just the right moment. Although lighthearted, this inventive fantasy nonetheless plumbs areas of darkness and loss, with those serving as a bracing counterbalance.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) 4-6 Eight-year-old Duck, orphaned as an infant, is the youngest member of a gang of urchins called the Crowns, who forage and pickpocket and scam their way through Avilogne (think medieval France) to survive--barely. In the city of Odierne, the Crowns find temporary shelter in a crumbling, abandoned cathedral watched over by forgotten, brooding, sentient gargoyles, one of whom narrates interspersed chapters. Duck is reluctantly apprenticed to kindly, trusting baker Griselde, who is nearly blind, in order to carry out ruthless gang-leader Gnat's scheme to steal from Griselde on a regular basis. And we're off--into a riveting novel full of tension and action; sensory-rich scenes and settings; and vividly portrayed, believable characters. As the seasons progress, we experience with Duck her moral dilemmas (taking advantage of the generous but vulnerable Griselde feels wrong); crisis of identity as she is torn between being a loyal apprentice and serving the Crowns; growing attachment not just to Griselde but to the wider community to which she now belongs; a terrible, costly betrayal; and an ultimate rescue. There are revelations at the end (one involving the gargoyle narrator), but they're as nuanced as the rest of the novel. Eagar's themes never feel tacked on but instead are thoroughly kneaded into her characters and story.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) YA In an alternate 1937 in the wake of the Great Rust (a nationwide mystical event resulting in devastating economic consequences), the Roosevelt administration has ushered in a variety of public programs to get the nation back on track. Those with natural magical gifts, known as mages, have been asked to support Mechomancy, the country's industry and technology infrastructure (and thought by many to be superior to the mystical arts more commonly practiced by Black mages). Seventeen-year-old Black mage Laura Ann Langston reluctantly joins the "Bureau of the Arcane's Conservation Corps, Colored Auxiliary" in New York to earn her official mage's license. After she is assigned as apprentice to another Black mage known as the Skylark, the two are thrown into a perilous mission: to take on an ancient dark magic with a history of slaughtering Black mages that is threatening destruction on a massive scale. Fortunately for both of them, Laura Ann's power manifests in ways neither of them could have expected. The events are told from the alternating accounts of the Skylark's official governmental report, her truthful observations, and Laura Ann's first-person account. Plucky queer-Black-mage Laura Ann's voice brings a fresh, at-times humorous perspective to life in 1930s New York (and other dimensions). "Primary sources," including photos from Laura Ann's Brownie camera, bolster her account. Ireland (Dread Nation, rev. 5/18) has confidently merged the historical and the mystical into a fast-paced, complex, and entertaining read.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) YA African American teen Marigold "Mari" Johnson is used to straddling two worlds. While her parents' successful media company has afforded her a life of luxury, she constantly has to prove she's "safe enough" for her private school classmates and "down enough" for her family in District City. Classmate and basketball star Justice understands her more than anyone; but as a "scholarship kid," he still accuses Mari of being clueless when it comes to the stigma he faces as a student--a hardship so prevalent that Justice may transfer. When Justice reveals he's been chosen as part of her parents' fashion internship program, Mari decides to join, too, in an attempt to convince him to stay at their school. Her decision is met with more tension than Mari expected, especially from fellow intern Kara. When the tension culminates in an unexpected revelation, Mari is forced to rethink what privilege truly means, and how to handle it responsibly. In a departure from her books about the crew from The Cove (Turning Point, rev. 3/21, and others), Chase turns her full attention to themes of classism within the Black community. While the first-person narrative doesn't leave much opportunity for readers to become attached to other characters, they are made intimately aware of Mari's thought processes.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) YA Teenage magicians' assistants Wilhelm and Jack find themselves at odds during the 1909 World's Fair in Seattle when their bosses, Teddy and the Enchantress, become bitter rivals. Earnest bookworm Wilhelm is the victim of terrible abuse at the hands of ambitious and conniving Teddy, who exploits Wilhelm's ability to travel short distances by magic, first involving him in a life of bank-robbing and then using him to gain fame. Orphaned Jack's relationship with the Enchantress takes a different form of mistreatment: she'd rescued him when he was younger and manipulates his emotions to make him feel obligated to her forever, preventing him from living a life of his own. When Jack and Wilhelm fall in love, they must decide what they are willing to risk for a future together. Palpable chemistry between the two main characters drives the plot, and a diverse cast of secondary characters adds humor and zest. Most impressive are the contrasting layers of villainy depicted in Teddy and the Enchantress: one an obvious brute, and the other more nuanced in her cruelty. Fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and slow-burn romance will find Jack and Wilhelm's story truly...magical.

Reviewer: Sarah Berman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by B Geneva. This Dragons in a Bag sequel alternates between Jaxon, Bag's protagonist, and Kavita, sister of Jaxon's best friend, Vikram. After she steals a dragon from Jaxon, Kavita has a problem: her dragon won't stop growing. She soon learns that there's a gate that will get the dragon back to the realm of magic--but the gate is open for only a short time. Meanwhile, Jaxon and Vikram look for Kavita so they can get the dragon back. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and entertaining.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Jessie avoids a lonely summer with her relatives by apprenticing with a cantankerous professional dog walker. When a charming novice steals business away from her mentor, Jessie plans retaliation. Lang uses descriptive language to form a multilayered story that not only highlights the responsibilities of pet ownership but also the complexities of growing up, first crushes, and revenge.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) YA As seventeen-year-old Dessa starts to think about her future, her family's nomadic lifestyle feels less appealing. The aspiring painter contends with self-doubt when her art school applications are rejected, but an apprenticeship with a Santa Fe artist offers an opportunity to define herself as an artist and as an individual. Spieller offers a fresh take on the coming-of-age novel with her debut.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Sixteen-year-old Sage isn't very ladylike--not marriage material--but her powers of observation are outstanding. Working as a matchmaker's apprentice, Sage finds herself in romantic entanglements as well as political ones when she's recruited as a military spy. In Beaty's political fantasy, a complex snarl of alliances set the tale's stage, and well-wrought espionage tradecraft powers the clever plot twists.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac